April 25, 2007

Apan-apan in the Ilonggo dialect means grasshopper. Back in the days when the verdant fields of rice were still pesticide free, farmers would catch the deluge of grasshoppers infesting the rice crops with a large net.The grasshoppers are then cooked to be eaten as sumsuman( a drink accompaniment)when the farm folks gather to drink at dusk after a hard days work or, as a dish on the family dinner table. With some degree of hesitation I was able to taste this dish many years ago when somebody from Mindanao dropped us a bagful. It was crunchy alright but the discomfort of thinking that you are munching on a grasshopper somehow made the eating experience a bit stressful.

Today, Apan-apan is actually Tangkong(kangkong) leaves and stems simmered in sauteed guinamos(fermented shrimp),garlic,white onions and native vinegar. Because of its sour and salty combination, it is served as an appetizer or as a relish to a sweeter main dish. It is also a perfect accompaniment for hot steaming rice.

Yesterday I cooked Apan-apan for dinner as a pair to baked tilapia.Instead of Tangkong, I used choy sum , an Asian vegetable also known as Chinese flowering cabbage,oil vegetable, and Yow Choy in Cantonese. Instead of the Filpino native vinegar, I experimented on mixing Chinese rice vinegar and malt vinegar. Not bad. The Malt vinegar somehow sweetens the dish and balances the sour and salty dominating flavors.

April 23, 2007

This is one salad that would make your doctor happy. Mention phytochemicals, antioxidants and beta-carotene --elements that are claimed to make us live longer, healthier and look younger, this leafy green mound has it.

A Spring Mix is a loose mixture of organic greens(though some are red). It includes one or more varieties and combinations of baby lettuces (Red Romaine, Green Oak, Green Leaf, Lolla Rosa(this is a lettuce not a grandma. We call Lola grandma in the Philippines), Red Leaf, New Red Fire, Tango,Green Romaine) and a mixture of Baby Mizuna, Tatsoi, Red and Green Chard, Arugula, Radicchio and Frisee. Now beat that.You are basically eating a vegetable patch in a plate.

April 17, 2007

The marriage of sweet and sour flavors never fail to captivate the palate. Add a hint of ginger and spice and you're going to reach for that extra cup of steaming rice.

Escabeche, is the Spanish dish consisting of fried fish swimming in a sauce that hinges on two contrasting flavors. It is one, that the fiesta- loving Filipinos have embraced and added to their everyday cooking rituals--just one of the many dishes adapted from the colonizers that make up the interesting and often undefinable mosaic called Filipino cuisine. Browse on any Pinoy foodie's blog and you will find many versions this recipe.

April 15, 2007

I asked my favorite Chinese grocer Lu how he cooks fresh bamboo shoot. He said he just slices them and quickly stir -fries the pieces with garlic and and soy sauce. Easy and healthy eh?

I bought a fresh shoot from him and did a variation of my own.After peeling and thinly slicing the shoots, I added thin slivers from a
boneless chicken thigh and stir fried the two ingredients with chopped garlic and onions.A
drizzle of Chinese wine did some extra wonders. Sliced Chinese
Century Eggs soaked in soy sauce and ginger were added to the side as an an extra
bonus.Green onions served the perfect garnish to the plate.

That simple. Oh by the way, you might be thinking how century eggs are made. Well, they are soaked in horse urine.Really? Har har. No. The horsey thing is just a myth. Here is the real way to make century eggs .

April 13, 2007

This is a modified version of a Thai salad dressing. A lighter sweeter mix.I excluded the hot peppers and drizzled the dressing with just a hint of fish sauce.I liked the way the dressing matched with the sweet flavor of the grape tomatoes. Just perfect for a cool spring weather.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the tomatoes. Adjust the taste according to your whim.Add grape tomatoes and mix well.Chill and serve with a garnish of sliced key limes and a sprig of cilantro.

Make sure you have more than enough rice in the cooker. This salad really opens up your appetite.

To celebrate its "resurrection", we decided to relaunch within the week after Easter Sunday. After a series of false starts and consultations with the Lasang Pinoy peeps ,it was decided that the secret ingredient for the 17th edition is... ta..ra... ra ...... The EGG.

The egg in various cultures symbolizes fertility and rebirth.From a Philippine context, the egg is very much part of culture and history. First thing that comes to mind is The Balut . It is something we always claim as our own.It specifies us from other cultures ,though not exclusively. Vietnam has it similar delicacy called Vit Lon. More than that ,the fertilized duck's egg is also an eaten object of bravado, virility and Pinoy machismo. Because it takes a certain amount of guts to eat, we love to taunt our foreign friends' comfort zones by challenging them to feast on boiled "aborted" duck's embryo. Balut is often eaten after dark with beer. The Pinoy "barako" who consumes it is said to acquire certain powers when doing a most pleasurable ritual, legit or not, in a darkened four-cornered room. This,even if the V pill came with the same claims.

In the country side, unwary of a Salmonella contamination, mothers would stir in fresh free range chicken eggs in a glass of newly harvested tuba(coconut toddy). The mixture is left overnight outdoors to be exposed to the elements.It is offered to the children in the morning for good health. The tonic is also believed to make children grow faster and taller.

For the Roman Catholic faithful, eggs are offerings often channeled through Sta.Clara or the Carmelite nuns in return for specific divine interventions.Incidentally, chicken egg whites were used to bind the limestones that were used to build the massive and beautiful churches and cathedrals--monuments of colonization and conversion-- dotting the tropical archipelago.Because of the amazing volume of egg whites used in these grandiose ecclesiastical projects,there was always an oversupply of egg yolks. Not to worry. The yolks were put to good use in the kitchen by the industrious women of the house. Thus, the sinful leche flan was born together with more indigenized and original culinary creations. In Iloilo, the Panaderia de Molo , situated a stone's throw away from the Molo Church , has created an array of egg-based pastries with Spanish names and some local ones such as Kinamunsil- a biscuit that looks like the kamunsil fruit shaped like a ring.Obviously, the bakery was a beneficiary of a lot of egg yolks coming form the church's contruction site.

Surely there are many more of these traditional egg recipes that are spread across the regions.We want to know and discover them through you ,dear foodie. Yes, even the ones that have evolved into contemporary gourmet treats.Fusion cuisine you may want to call them.Whatever they are called, we are excited to learn about them.

The LASANG PINOY 17: EGGS A DEAL ! event is open to everyone who has either a traditional,original, contemporary egg recipe or article to share hinged on Philippine history and culture.

You can submit your entries by:

1.Sending it to afbeercan@gmail.com or lasang.pinoy@gmail.com with your name, email address,yourblog's name and the permalink of your entry.

2.Posting your entry in the comment section of this post with the same specifications found in No. 1.Label it as Lasang Pinoy 17 Entry for quick identification

Please submit your entries on or before May 6,2007 which incidentally is International No- Diet Day.Now, that is symbolic isn't it?

For those who doesn't have a blog but wants to join, we are happy to share a space for your recipe(s) and/or article(s) . Just email your photos and entries with the corresponding specification located in No.1.

April 09, 2007

LASANG PINOY is back. From whatever part of the globe you may be and whether it is spring or summer from were you are, this is the the time to showcase our rich Pinoy cuisine once again.

All Pinoy Bloggers are invited to join this fun and informative event of theme blogging. No blog? No problem. It's about time you have one. If not, we can always share our space with you if you have a story to tell.

A formal announcement regarding the theme and the mechanics will be made as soon as as the official logos designed by the Lasang Pinoy world-class designers Iska and Mike will come out.Don't wink because it will be SOON.

So prepare your pots and pans and make sure the Gasul tank is full for your spring/summer fling with a bigger better finger lick'n LASANG PINOY.

April 07, 2007

After a nice lunch at Gibson's Fish and Chips last Saturday,we drove west across the river to check on the annual Easter Tea and Bake of the Ukrainian Community in Saskatoon .The events were held at the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral and at St. George's Ukrainian Cultural Center. It was a very enlightening afternoon for the three of us as we took a peek into the rich and colorful Ukrainian culture which is deeply anchored into their Christian faith.

A statue of St. George

The design of the cross similar to the one shown above is a recurring motif in baking the Ukrainian Paska bread.

The Tea and Bake was attended mostly by senior citizens.

Easter eggs for sale was in abundance at the tea and bake.To the the Ukrainians, the decorated eggs symbolizes life or rebirth. Most of the designs are attributed to pagan symbols which have been adapted into the Christian orthodox religion.

Pysanka or Pysanky are what the colorful and intricate Ukrainian Easter eggs are called. The decoration is done with a wax-resist technique. This is similar to the Southeast Asian Indonesian Batik coloring method.

On Easter Sunday morning, an Easter basket containing the Paska and Babka breads is brought to the church to be blessed by the priest. The Paska is then eaten with breakfast.

Paska bread are decorated with the twirled cross cross design. It is placed on the breakfast table surrounded with Pysankas at its base.

A lady selling miniature twisted bread with what looks like a foot at the end. Looks like little angels too.

The mini twisted breads. I forgot to ask what they are called.

This was our hands down favorite Ukrainian pastry. It is called Horishke. This melt in your mouth crumbly pastry balls is filled with a delicious creamy filling with pounded nuts.Almonds, I suspect. It is sprinkled with powdered sugar. Addicting. I must find a recipe for this.

Perogies are the European version of dumplings. They are filled with mashed potatoes and mixed with either cheese, bacon or onions. This is one Ukranian comfrot food that we have embraced. It is eaten with sour cream. It is also eaten with sausages.

Homemade cabbage roll. The rolls are stuffed with rice and meat and baked slowly in the oven with tomato sauce.

Kolbasa is the traditional Ukranian smoked ham sausage.

Pysanky laden with flowers that welcomes spring and symbolizes rebirth

Eggs decorated with Orthodox icons.

Religious icons are integral to the Orthodox Church just like the Filipino Roman Catholics. notice that the images look similar.

Here is an interesting excerpt from Wikepedia about Christian Orthodox icons and why the look similar..

"The term Icon comes from the Greek word eikona, which simply means image. The Orthodox believe that the first icons of Christ and the Virgin Mary were painted by Luke the Evangelist.
Icons are filled with symbolism designed to convey information about
the person or event depicted. For this reason, icons tend to be
formulaic, following a prescribed methodology for how a particular
person should be depicted (including hair style, body position,
clothing worn, and background details). Icon painting, in general, is
not an opportunity for artistic expression, though each iconographer
brings his own vision to the piece. It is far more common for an icon
to be copied from an older model, though with the recognition of a new
saint in the church, a new icon must be created and approved. The
personal, idiosyncratic and creative traditions of Western European
religious art are largely lacking in Orthodox iconography before the
17th century, when Russian icon painting was strongly influenced by
religious paintings and engravings from both Protestant and Catholic
Europe. Greek icon painting also began to take on a strong romantic
western influence for a period and the difference between some Orthodox
icons and western religious art began to vanish. More recently there
has been a strong trend of returning to the more traditional and
symbolic representations."

April 05, 2007

The International Edible Book Festival was created in 1999 by artists Judith A. Hoffberg and Beatrice Coron while having a Thanksgiving turkey dinner with other book artists. Their purpose was to celebrate the birth of the epicure and often quoted author of "The Physiology of Taste "Jean-Anthelme Brillat Savarin who was born on April 1, 1755 . The celebration also coincides with April Fools Day. According the IEBF website ,"April fools' day is also the perfect day to eat your words and play
with them as the "books" are consumed on the day of the event."This annual festival is participated by about 19 countries dotting the globe like Canada,France Europe and Brazil. A hight tea follows the exhibition with the participants and guests feasting on the "books."

The Saskatoon Edition of this Festival organized by AKA Gallery, was held at the Francis Morisson Library, Saskatoon's main book depository.Unfortunately,the event was overshadowed by the frenzy Of the JUNO Music Awards, Canada'a version of the Grammy's. Only a handful participated in the edible book exhibition. It could have been a worthwhile afternoon exchanging food and book "gossip" with like minded spirits. Perhaps the chefs were stressed out in the kitchen preparing their spread for the rock stars and celebrities who practically invaded this mid-sized prairie city. The book lovers and the foodies? An ever curious lot, they were probably chasing Nelly Furtado, the Barenaked Ladies, The Tragically Hip and other musical stars from across Canada who littered the town red for three nights.Or probably they were just too hungover to roll their butts,considering the nightly jam packed after-concert parties spread across the city.

Here are the pics of the edible books. It's not the baking skills but the bookish wit that give these creations their charm. Enjoy.

It would be impossible for Jack to reach the top of the beanstalk if he finished this cake.Would be overweight by then. It will keep him away from trouble though butpoorer still.

Eat a cookie and follow it up with hot English tea.Take a nap and you will dream the story.

Daughter's fave. Big Red Dog's meat anyone?

A colorful way to bungle things....

Literature can be very literal. Very. Here, it is eating. eeer... stating the obvious.

April 04, 2007

I remember my friend telling me that one Holy Week many years ago, his father who was a Protestant pastor, decided to go on an all out fasting ritual starting on Good Friday. This was his first attempt. This meant that he couldn't take anything but water. He seemed to survive the ordeal because by Saturday evening he seemed to be in control. At around 4a.m. on Easter Sunday morning, they were startled by some strange rattling and clanging loud noise coming from the kitchen.Nagahinirongkadol.From the second floor, they all went down to check the commotion.Guess who they saw? He he. It was dear daddy frantically checking the pots and pans desperately scrounging for morsels he could eat. What a way to break the fast. That was "breakfast" indeed.

I am sure that a lot of our Christian friends with good intentions have experiences similar to my friend's father. They just wouldn't admit it. Others would abstain from meat and and the irresistible pork only to find themselves wallowing in crispy lechon skin and paksiw and other "sinful" eats come Easter morning. A week of fasting over a year of feasting.

I have not done any fasting all my life and could only guess the degree of craving that comes at the end of the fast. If I were in their place, I would probably be hallucinating in digital quality about eating rib eye steaks grilled to a perfect medium rare with a matching pair of red wine in a quiet beach resort with skimpily clad nymphs traipsing around. Since I don't have the exemplary fortitude of The Son of Man, I would even gladly give in to the temptation of going with them to the deep end of the ocean. Yes, even if I am incapable of doing a decent breast stroke. What a way to die. So unChristlike. These inviting images would probably roll during the early minutes of the fast. I refuse to imagine what happens if I allow my hunger to get the better of me for a few minutes more.

For those of you who have the courage to sit still and ignore a growling stomach, I wish you well. May you find whatever it may be you are looking for.